The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan has warned that the country is abandoning its postwar pacifist path as the government increases defense spending and loosens restrictions on arms exports amid growing global conflict.
In a statement, Bishop Shinzo Moriyama of Saitama, chairman of the bishops’ conference’s Justice and Peace Commission, said the country is “steadily moving toward war” through what he described as its largest military buildup since World War II.
“The Japanese government, too, has relaxed long-standing restrictions on arms exports and is pursuing the largest military buildup since the end of World War II, with defense spending increasing dramatically,” Moriyama said.
“This means that our country is steadily moving toward war, marking a departure from the pacifism it upheld for 80 years after the war,” he added.
Moriyama issued the statement as tensions escalated in the Middle East following attacks involving Israel, the United States, and Iran.
Drawing heavily from recent appeals by Pope Leo XIV, the bishop condemned attempts to justify war through religion and warned against the global expansion of militarization.
Quoting the pope’s Palm Sunday homily, Moriyama said Leo XIV reminded the faithful that “Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is our God” and that “Nothing can be used to justify war.”
The pope also warned that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war,” according to the statement.
Moriyama cited a separate statement from the chairman of the Doctrine Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which reaffirmed Catholic teaching that armed force may be used only “for self-defense, after all efforts for peace have failed.”
The bishop said rising military spending worldwide continues to deepen suffering, particularly among poor nations already struggling with inflation and economic instability.
“At the same time, prices around the world, especially energy costs, continue to rise, bringing even greater suffering to the poorest countries and peoples,” he said.
He added that wars in Gaza, Ukraine, and other regions are increasingly being overshadowed by the widening conflict involving Iran, while “enormous military expenditures” continue to be used “to kill and injure human beings.”
Moriyama urged Catholics to confront what he described as the direction Japan is taking and to respond through prayer and action.
“Should we not discern where our country is truly heading, recognize it as our own concern, and pray and act for peace amid the confusion of today’s world?” he asked.
Rejecting military deterrence as a path to peace, the bishop warned that “peace through power” only fuels further violence.
“Intimidation through military force or ‘peace through power’ only gives rise to hatred and new acts of revenge,” he said, adding that “True peace can only be built by respecting others and patiently deepening dialogue and mutual understanding.”
Calling on Catholics to become “people who make peace,” Moriyama urged solidarity with civilians affected by war and support for Pope Leo XIV’s continuing appeals for peace.
“Let us stand in solidarity with those suffering from war throughout the world, support them, and pray for them,” he said.
